Life Without Love is No Life at All
by morethanjustanything
Summary: Inspired by 4x05 - "Maybe I just didn't want to be something you would regret."
1. The Role You Were Born to Play

**MTJA: **So, this story is inspired by the Tike in "The Role You Were Born to Play". I'm still working on UE but this story just demanded to be written and the muses just wouldn't let me be.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Glee_

"Speech"

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Seeing Mike again after she broke up with him, Tina's emotions were all over the place. It was the last thing that she had been expecting and now she was going to have to deal with seeing him around McKinley because he was helping with the musical. She could just smack Artie for doing this and not telling her that her ex-boyfriend was going to be around the school. Once she got wind of his presence, she mentally made a plan to avoid him as much as possible but in the end, she couldn't avoid him forever and she was cornered at her locker. That had been ten minutes ago and now, she was sitting in the audience stands that overlooked the pool with her head in her hands. After everything, she thought she was doing well without him but now, it was a completely different story.

Tina had been sitting there for about ten minutes, leaning against the wall and looking into space as she got lost in memories of her time with Mike when someone approached her. When she didn't look up right away, the person coughed which caused the Asian girl to jump, startled by the noise and person's presence. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was Mercedes who was standing there with her hands on her hip and an eyebrow raised at her.

"Mercedes! Don't do that!" Tina felt her heart start to settle back down to its normal rate. "So, you wanna tell me why you're sitting in here all alone?" She wasn't sure what to say to her best friend because she hadn't been honest with her when she told the other girl that she broke up with Mike. Biting her lip, she hesitated on what she was going to say, because she didn't think her friend would buy the excuse that it was just because Mike was here and she didn't expect that. Of course, that was part of it but there was more to the story than that and it would mean telling her that she didn't tell her the whole reason behind breaking up with Mike.

Mercedes was clearly tired of waiting for her to say something, she huffed as she sat down next to her best friend. "Let me guess, it has something to do with Mike." Tina looked down at her hands because that was it and she was sure that it would be obvious to Finn let alone her best friend.

"You would be correct. He caught me at my locker and well, yeah. He called me out for avoiding him since he wanted to see me when he got her and about me not auditioning for the musical when I'm apparently so talented." She let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair and she could sense the other girl staring at her.

"First, you are talented, so you should audition because you would be so good. Second, it's obvious to me, someone who cares about the two of you, that you still love each other, so you breaking up with him doesn't really make sense. Out of all the couples who were a part of New Directions, the two of you had the best foundation to withstand the distance. So you wanna level with me, Tee?"

Mercedes knew that she knew the girl sitting next to her better than almost anyone with the exception of the guy in question and could read her easily. Tina could feel her emotions start to go crazy as she blinked quickly to keep the tears at bay because she wasn't the old Tina anymore, that cried all the time but it appears, Mike will always be the one thing that will get to her.

"You're right, 'Cedes, I wasn't completely honest with you when I told you. It was just easier to pretend that it was just the distance between us that was the problem because it was the lesser of two evils. But seeing him now, everything that I worked so hard to lock away since this year just came rushing back. I was…scared or more like terrified when I thought about the future at the end of the last year. Knowing that I still had a year to go in high school while he'd be off in his first year wasn't easy and after everything that I did so that he could go off and achieve his dream instead of settling for what his father wanted, I didn't want to be the reason that he didn't get to experience everything that Chicago has to offer. Of course, all I wanted was to be with him forever but that wouldn't be fair to him, at least right now. You know what they say, 'If you love somebody, let them go. If they return, they were always yours. If they don't, they never were.' As much as it hurt and as much as I pretended, in my heart I keep hoping that we'd find our way back to each other when it mattered and we're ready. But now, I'm not sure what to do."

Mercedes listened to her best friend spill her heart to her and she could see where Tina was coming from. But at the same time, she always knew that the two of them shared something special, that didn't come along often in life which shouldn't be wasted. As her friend wiped her eyes and tried to collect herself, she was about to say something when someone else, a male someone else beat her to it.

"How about talking to me about all of this?" Both girls turned to where the voice came from and saw Mike leaning against the railing that kept people from going over the edge. Tina felt her eyes widen because she hadn't been planning for her ex-boyfriend to hear any of that. He made his way over to where the girls were sitting and sat next to his ex-girlfriend, the one person who was still the center of his entire world. Knowing that her two friends didn't need an audience, Mercedes quietly and quickly left them sitting there on the bench and left the pool area, deciding that she would go throw some ideas around with Finn and Artie.

Tina turned so that one leg was on each side of the bench and she was facing Mike. Unsure of where to start, she just took him in and the changes that happened since she last saw him and it seemed like he was doing the same with her.

"Tina….why didn't you tell me any of this? Why use the distance between Lima and Chicago as an excuse? I thought that we could always talk about anything that was bothering us." She knew that he had a point and that was one of the things she loved the most about their relationship. But she couldn't find the words then and she can't seem to find them now. Mike reached over and grabbed her hand then gave it a squeeze. When she felt his touch, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath because she had missed feeling him as it was the one thing that made her feel safe in a world that was so uncertain.

"I know, I guess I just didn't want to make things worse or harder for you than they were already going to be. In the time that we were together, you became everything to me and I was unsure because I knew that most high school romances don't last. Look at Finn and Rachel or Blaine and Kurt. Even Brittany and Santana aren't together and I really thought that they would be." Tina looked down at her hand that he was holding as she tried to figure out what else to say to the one person she still loved deeply.

"Everyone has doubts at one point or another in their lives, that's why people talk about them. So that they don't let drive them to do something that they don't want."

"I-I-I…Maybe I just didn't want to be something that you would regret." She could tell that he was going to interrupt her, so she held up her free hand to stop him before he did. "Maybe you would not have, in the beginning of your college experience but there was a good chance that you could somewhere down the line especially if I didn't up in Chicago next year. It was a chance that I just couldn't take, a thought that I just could not bear to think about."Tina paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "If I had told you about what going on inside of my head, you would have told me that I was just being silly and that you would love me for the rest of our lives. But the future is not guaranteed and things can change so easily."

At that point, Tina gave into her tears and started to cry as she could not contain her emotions any longer. Mike felt his heart go out to the love of her life as he pulled her into a hug and sighed in relief when she did not push him away from her because he had missed holding her more than he ever thought was possible. After a few minutes, Tina calmed down enough to the point where they could talk but she did not move from the position that they were in. He kissed the top of her head and decided that it was time for him to respond.

"Oh Tina, sweetheart…." There was so much that he wanted to tell her but he wasn't sure where to begin, only that he needed to. He was surprised and amazed by what Tina had told him. It really showed him that she loved him just as much as he did and still did, which made him feel better about things, now, if he could only get her to admit as much.

"You have to know that I could never regret you, Tee. After everything we've been through and how far we have come from, I just can't forget what and how much you mean to me. It would simply be impossible." Mike knew that he needed to get her to believe him because his life had been infinitely less meaningful without his beautiful Tina. Of course, the next four wouldn't be easy but he believed that they could fight for each other but that was something he didn't understand about Tina.

"There's something that I don't understand. You told me that you loved me and spent two years as my girlfriend, so why wouldn't you fight for what we have, especially when you knew that I was more than willing to do the same."

A sigh escaped her lips as Tina pulled away from Mike and tucked some hair behind her ear. It was a good question but she needed to think about it and what her hear was telling her. Being held like that, brought back so many emotions and memories and she definitely missed being in his arms.

"I wanted to, it was my first instinct because of everything that we did together. But then something changed and I started to panic, I suppose." She met his gaze and played with the bottom of her dress. "A year is a long time, Mike, and so much can change it that time. After all, change is the only constant in life. Like I said, I don't want to be something you'd regret,, something that wouldn't fit in your new life. You deserve the world and to have all of your dreams come true because you're an amazing dancer and that deserves to be recognized." After she finished talking, it felt like there was a weight that was lifted off of her shoulders that she wasn't aware that she was carrying.

"I know that, Tina but isn't what we have, worth trying to hold onto? I get that most people don't have a future with their high school sweethearts but we're not most people. There is something between us that I'm positive we'd never be able to find again with anyone else."

The pair sat there in silence for a few moments as both processed was said between them and to figure out where they would go from there. Eventually, it was decided that they'd stay friends for now but would go back to how they used to talk then when Mike came home for Christmas, they would talk about what they were and where they'd go from there. It obviously wasn't what Mike wanted but he figured it was the best that he was going to get at the moment. However, at the moment, Mike convinced Tina to audition for the musical, so she needed to go prepare then audition for her friends. She wasn't even put out that a younger student got the female lead, she was just glad that there was a musical and she'd get to participate.


	2. Christmas Me and You

**MTJA:** Alright, so this story was originally going to be a one-shot but people have asked me to continue, so I will. Obviously, from this point on, it will be AU though I might through in bits and pieces of canon if they will work with the plot. At most, this story will have six parts in total. Don't worry, I am working on Unexpected Hearts as well though I do have a Blamtina friendship project in the works too.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Glee, otherwise it would be a lot different.

***text message***

**"Speech"**

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December had arrived and with it, a strange feeling inside Tina's chest because she knew that in a couple short weeks, Mike would be back in Lima and they'd finally decide on whether or not they would get back together or not. Over the last month and a half since Grease, the pair had been talking a lot, whether it was on the phone, instant messenger, texting or Skype and it certainly brought back a bright smile to her face and a spring to her step that been missing since they broke up. However, she was still nervous about what could happen because even though she is almost completely positive that he wants to get back with her but still, things could very easily change. She had to admit, it was really nice being able to talk to him again, like they used to and to use him as a sounding board sometimes. If there was one thing that she was glad for, it was sending in his applications for him because he's never sounded happier other than when he was with her and it brought a smile to her face to know that everything had been worth it.

It was a regular Monday and Tina was at her locker, getting some things that she would need for her two classes that she had before lunch when she felt someone come up to her. Turning her head to the right, she smiled when she saw that it was Blaine with that wonderfully sweet smile that had been missing for awhile. She was glad when she heard about the call that he had with Kurt and their plans for when the bowtie wonder boy went to New York in a couple weeks.

"Hey Tina. I was wondering if you could help me with some of the things we're learning in Physics. Somehow, none of it is clicking with me and I really need to keep my grades up. You're really smart and all of it makes sense to you, so will you help me?" Blaine bit his lip as he waited for her to respond because he knew that it was a lot to ask but he really needed the help. Nodding her head, she smiled at him. "Of course, I will. Want to meet up after school and get some coffee before going to my house so we can concentrate?" He nodded his head. "Sure, that's great. Thanks for doing this." The Asian girl simply hugged her friend before heading off to her class. As she sat down in her class, she thought back to the moment when Blaine started to become one of her closest friends at McKinley.

The bell rang and brought Tina back out from her thoughts as she started to gather her things after writing down her homework assignment so that she wouldn't forget to do it later. She definitely thought things were going well for the glee club after winning sectionals and doing the musical. It wouldn't be long now before Mike was back in the town and she was looking forward to seeing him, so much that she usually got lost in memories of them together or a daydream of possibilities. The Asian girl smiled when she saw Brittany coming towards her, so that they could walk to English together as they always did once they realized they had the class together and their classes beforehand were near each other. Tina had also taken it upon herself to help the blond with her classes so that she could graduate this year because no one deserved to have to repeat senior year for a third time. Plus, she learned that the dancer was smarter than she appeared though she didn't apply herself much and she may or may not have made a promise to both Quinn and Santana to keep an eye out for the third part of the Unholy Trinity.

The weeks passed quickly, between school, tutoring Blaine, spending time with everyone and Glee so Tina was surprised to wake up one morning to find that it was the twentieth of December, the first day of her winter break and the day that Mike would be returning to Lima. Nervousness hit her full force once she was completely wake because she had a feeling that Mike would want to see her sooner rather than later. As if her thoughts served as a beacon summoning him, her phone went off, letting her that she had a text message from him.

***Hey Tina. I hope that I didn't wake you but I was hoping that I'd get to see you this afternoon.***

***You didn't, don't worry. Sure we can. Want to go get coffee?***

***Wooo, that's good. Sounds like a plan. See you are the Lima Bean at 1pm.***

Now that there was a plan in place, she climbed out of her bed and checked her phone for the time and saw that she had two and a half hours before they were to meet up. Tina headed into her bathroom and did what she needed to in order to start the day then went down stairs to make some breakfast. The house was quiet because her parents were both at work, so she set about making some cereal and tea because she didn't feeling like messing around with all of the cooking instruments. Once she finished eating and the dishes were done, she headed back up stairs to get dressed; pulling on a new blue and grey long sleeve dress, black lace tights and a pair of lace up boots. In order to pass the time, she headed back downstairs and watched some television.

Before she knew it, Tina was pulling into the parking lot that was behind the Lima Bean and took a deep breath as she tried to calm her nerves down so she could focus and not be a wreck. Exiting her car, she headed into the coffee shop and looked around but she didn't see Mike, so she went up and ordered her coffee before finding a seat. About six minutes later, she looked up and saw that he had arrived and was in line for his coffee. She waved when she saw him looking around for her and he nodded once he saw her then turned his attention back to the barista. A few moments later, Mike was standing in front of the table, smiling at her and she was smiling back without thinking about it.

"Hey Tee. How are you doing?" Tina stood up from her seat and moved to hug him which he returned with ease. "I'm doing pretty well. How about you? When did you get back?" The pair sat down opposite each other and she took a sip of her coffee. "I'm doing wonderful now and I got home late last night. My teacher decided to cancel the only class that I would have had as a treat for Christmas. So I was able to leave yesterday after saying goodbye to my friends." She nodded her head because that made sense especially since she knew that he was planning to drive home instead of flying. Looking into his eyes, all of the emotions came flooding back and she really wanted to grab his hand and hold it but she was able to resist the temptation. Silence reined over them as both tried to figure out how to approach the one thing that was on their minds.

"So, how are your parents doing? I'm sure they're glad that you're home especially your mother." Tina remembered that at his graduation, Mrs. Chang has said his school was still too far away but she knew that both of his parents were happy and proud of him though it did take some effort. "They're both doing great. You remember the group they created, right? Apparently, it's doing really well and they have a good number in terms of members." She smiled before taking another sip of her drink because that was good news indeed. "How about your parents?" Mike smiled that same loving smile that he used to when they were still together. "They're still the same and Mom is still nagging Dad to eat better or he'll have a heart attack."

A few minutes passed as they got caught up on things that they missed since they talked a few days ago. Tina bit her lip as she heard the handsome guy across from her let out a sigh and she knew what was coming so she prepared herself. Seeing Mike reach across the table and grab her hand, she couldn't look away from his face as he began to speak.

"Tina, I've missed you so much, more than anyone should be able to miss another person. You became such a huge part of my life that I can't imagine it without you in it. I still stand by what I said when I came to help with the musical, that I don't think we should have broken up." He took a deep breath and something told her to wait before saying anything. "I still love you, I'm still in love with you and there is no one else that I want as much as I want you. You're my everything and I wouldn't have it any other way." She could tell that she was starting to tear up at his words that were filled with so much emotion that came from deep inside of him. He really was a real life Prince Charming and she knew that there was only one thing that she could do.

She pulled her hand from his then brought up one at a time to his face before pulling him towards her where she kissed him with everything that she was feeling at that moment. A couple of moments later, she pulled away because she knew that they were in public. Taking in the goofy look that was on Mike's face, she couldn't help giggling because it was just so adorable. Hearing the familiar giggle, he snapped out of his daze and smiled with so much love on his face.

"Oh Mike, I want to give us another chance. I know now, that we can handle the distance and everything that comes our way. I'm still so very much in love with you two and no one could ever come close to what you mean to me." The impossibly wide smile that was on his face somehow managed to get wider at her words and it made her smile in return. He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it, reminding her off all the small but romantic gestures that helped her fall in love with him in the first place. Tina raised an eyebrow at him when she caught sight of the mischievous look that suddenly appeared on his face.

"How about we get out of here and go somewhere else, so I can spend some much needed and wanted quality time with my girlfriend and I won't have to worry about people staring at us for our public displays of affection." As she processed the words, she couldn't help smirking at the thought of what that could possibly entail because her boyfriend is freaking hot and it has been a long time since they were alone as a couple. "My boyfriend is a genius, let's go. My house is empty since my parents are going to be working late tonight and I'd love the company so I'm not alone." Part of her wondered though that this wasn't something her mother planned because she adored Mike and adored him as Tina's boyfriend. She did talk to her mother about the situation a lot and Mrs. Cohen-Chang said she believed that they'd be together again. Standing up from the table, they tossed out their cups then he grabbed her hand and led her out of the coffee shop and back to her house.


	3. Rite of Passage

**MTJA: **Another new chapter for your enjoyment.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Glee, just my plot.

_"Speech"_

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Ever since she got back together with Mike, Tina felt like she was floating on cloud nine. It really felt like they never broke up in the first place even though she knew that wasn't true because they had both changed while they were apart and now had to adapt to those changes that they saw in the other person. Still, it was no real hardship and she could honestly say that she hadn't been happier during her senior year. Tina couldn't help smiling every time she got a text message from her boyfriend or when she knew that she would be able to talk to him.

The weather was starting to warm up and the hallways of McKinley high school became more animated as talk turned to that big rite of passage that happens to occur once a year, towards the end of the school year….prom. Everyone from the head Cheerio down to the last stoner was aware of the big dance and speculation was starting to grow about who would be attending with who and what that could mean for the social hierarchy. Even the members of New Directions were not above the entire prom discussions.

Lunch was just beginning on that insignificant Thursday as Tina was making her way from her class to her locker before joining her friends in the cafeteria for lunch as usual. The stop at her locker was brief and she was about to head off to her final destination when she was joined by one of her friends.

"Hey Tina. Heading to lunch?" The Asian girl looked around and smiled when she saw that it was Marley.

"Hi Marley and yeah, I am. Walk with me?" The younger brunette nodded her head and the pair set off for the cafeteria.

"So prom is coming up, are you going to go with Mike?" Tina tapped her finger against her cheek before answering.

"I'm not sure yet. It has come up in conversation but he doesn't know if he will be able to make it back home then because there is some charity performance that the dancers always do and he has such a good heart, so he said that he would take part in it. I would love for him to come with me but we did go to prom together last year, so I'll make it work it regardless."

"I know that I didn't get to know him that well when he came to help for the musical but he does seem like a good guy, so he'd make it up to you if he can't. I will say, I'm glad that we're going to get to perform at the dance otherwise about half of us wouldn't get to go and this is the only dance we'd all have together. What's better than spending the night with all of your friends?"

Before Tina could respond, they entered the cafeteria and got in line to get their food. Several minutes later found them sitting down at a partially occupied table – Joe, Ryder and Sugar were already there and after greeting their friends, they continued on with their conversation.

"You know, all of us ladies should go look for dresses together. The last two years, the girls and Kurt went out shopping so I think we should continue the tradition with most of our glee girls because I'm not sure Kitty will want to come." Out of the corner of her eye, Marley saw that Sugar was nodding her head rapidly in agreement.

"That sounds like fun, we should do it. I'll talk to Unique and you can see if Brittany will be up for it."

The conversation died as the rest of their motley crew joined them at the table and a new conversation about the current going ons in the school blossomed.

A couple weeks passed quickly and the day for dress shopping had arrived. Tina couldn't help laughing at the memory of her conversation with Kurt about the dress shopping and him being irritated that he wasn't there to approve of the dresses. She loved her friend but sometimes he could be so absurd but he wouldn't himself otherwise.

The mall was reasonably packed for it being a Wednesday afternoon as Tina led the small group of girls to the first store of the trip. The excitement was evident on all of the girls' faces, even Kitty's, who had been convinced to join the rest of the girls on the outing even though she tried to hide it.

"Alright, so I'm thinking we'll look around the store and grab a couple dresses then meet up at the changing rooms where we can show off each dress as we try them on." Once she got five nods, she clapped her hands then gestured that they should go look for the dresses. They all set off like rockets once she gave them the go ahead which made her chuckle before wandering off on her own.

There were many racks of fashionable but affordable dresses, so Tina was sure that she would find one that she'd love to wear. This year she decided that she was going to look for a dress with some color because the last two years, she wore black dresses, so it would be nice to switch it up a bit. Some of the dresses were really out there even for a girl who used to dress in the goth fashion. However, there were more that were to her taste to make up for them so she had no trouble grabbing several different colored dresses including a lovely burgundy number and a silver one. Looking around, she saw al l the girls had several dresses so she pointed to the changing rooms, and got several nods in return.

"Great, it looks like we all found some promising options, so let's get this party started. We'll all try on the first one then come back out here and don't be afraid to ask for help if you need zipped up or anything."

A couple hours later, the dress search was finally over with everyone finding the perfect dress for the dance. There were some hits and more misses but in the end, all of the girls were happy with their choices. All of the choices certainly seemed to reflect their personalities. As Unique said, 'they're all fierce divas that were gonna rock the prom.'

After getting a bite to eat and dropping off both Marley and Unique at their homes, Tina made it back to her own with her dress. She promised her mother she would try it on later so that she could show it off to her parents when they had time to take it in, she brought it up to her room and hung it up in the closet. Then her eyes landed on her bed where an envelope that she didn't recognize was laying. Carefully walking over to the bed, she picked it up and opened it without destroying the envelope and pulled out a piece of paper.

_**Tina, go outside to your backyard. You'll find something there that you want.**_

Confused, she turned the paper over to try to see if there was any other clue but all there was, was a quote she had never heard.

"_**We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once."**_

She certainly didn't recognize the handwriting so she wasn't sure what she should do. After debating her options for a couple minutes, Tina finally decided to do what the message said and placed the note down on her bed before heading to the door that would let her outside.

There on the door, was another note so she opened it and pulled out the paper.

_**Put your hand on the handle then close your eyes as you open the door. There will be someone to help you to your final destination, so don't panic when someone grabs you.**_

Then on the back was another quote,

"_**After all, Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels."**_

Deciding that she had nothing to lose because this was her home and her mother wouldn't let anything happen to her, she placed her hand on the door knob and opened it as she closed her eyes. A hand suddenly grabbed her wrist but she remembered the note she didn't scream but let the person lead her to wherever she was meant to go.

A voice whispered in her ear, '_Open your eyes.'_

Tina opened her eyes and couldn't help gasping at the sight that was before her – her favorite flower, the tiger lily was all over the place and seemed to spelled out a message. Another gasp escaped her lips as she processed what the message was –

_Tina, will you go to Prom with me? – Mike_

A pair of arms wrapped around her waist and she jumped slightly because she hadn't been expecting that. "So, what's your answer, Tee?" She turned around in the now familiar arms and grinned as she came face to face with her boyfriend.

"My answer is yes, definitely yes. But I thought that you didn't think you'd be able to make it home because of your performance." He smirked at her before leading over to the bench.

"Oh, just a necessary little trick so that I would be able to surprise my girlfriend. The performance isn't until a month after prom happens." Tina couldn't help herself, she smacked him on the arm because he was completely ridiculous but sweet at the same time.

"It's a good thing that I love you Michael Chang and happen to find that romantic." Mike grinned at her before pulling her into a kiss.

"A fact that I'm eternally grateful for. Now, let's go see that dress that you bought that will you look more beautiful than usual." She shook her head at his comment because she didn't want to show him her dress until the dance.

"No way, all you get to know is that it is a deep purple with silver accents. You're gonna have to wait until the prom to see the dress." A dramatic sigh escaped his lips before smirking at his girlfriend.

"Finnneee, but you have to make it up to me then." A raised eyebrow was his answer which he answered with a smirk before pulling her into the house and up to her room before kissing her. She decided that she could definitely pay him back in this fashion and that she would enjoy it too. The door was closed and it was a good thing that neither of her parents were home because she was quite occupied for some time.


End file.
